Kindred Spirits
“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” -Anne of Green Gables
Featured photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/zuAPqXdn3Fbz1jUG8
February 18th, 2024 - TexMex Day 3
There was snow amongst the cacti. Snow isn’t startling to those of us from the Great Lakes. Seeing snow coating the prickly spikes of a cactus, however, is a different story. We can’t even grow a lemon tree without bringing it in for winter. Gimping an outdoor cactus through an Ohio winter would be unheard of. In Texas, things are different! The Chihuahuan Desert was unlike any other we’ve experienced. In Texas, there are no perfectly-spaced sagebrush like you might encounter in Nevada. There are no saguaros like Arizona. Instead, the Chihuahuan Desert is a shrubby, diverse assortment of trees, shrubs, and cacti. The mountains rockily shamble up from valley floors, creating a scenic view for hikers and explorers. The sky is a perfect cerulean blue. In other words, the Chihuahuan Desert is beautiful.
There’s an unacknowledged irony about many of the beautiful places we’ve visited. To me, the intricate plants, sweeping mountain vistas, and dramatic landscapes are a clear indicator of a Master Designer, yet many of these places are named after the devil. (I’m sure he must love that!) The most obvious example is the Devil’s Tower National Monument, but there are many others. For example, in Death Valley National Park, there is a Devil’s Golf Course and a Devil’s Cornfield. When the devil is done with his Cornfield, he cooks it up in his Kitchen. There are three Devil’s Kitchens, one in Yellowstone, one at the Colorado National Monument, and one at Lassen Volcanic. When the devil is bored, he amuses himself at the Devil’s Playground at Petrified Forest or the Devil’s Garden at Bryce Canyon. The Devil’s Throat is at Hawaii Volcanoes and his Elbow is at the Padre Island National Seashore. It seems the devil has left his mark all over the United States! If you’re curious more about the origin of these names, they can be found in an article I’ll link below. There’s a great amount of discussion surrounding the devil-themed names in many of America’s parks. The article is worth a read!
Acknowledging the above, it should not be surprising that our Guadalupe Mountains hiking trail was named Devil’s Hall. In my opinion, the only thing devilish about the trail was the big boulders in a dry riverbed. Your humble author is a clumsy hiker. Boulders and I don’t always get along! On this trail, fortunately, the devil’s boulders didn’t triumph over my feet. We made it through the dry riverbed just fine. Near the end of the trail, we encountered a canyon with walls made of many thin rock layers. Like a staircase, the rock layers climbed a hill and disappeared into the trail above. Tyler scrambled up this rocky staircase with the natural athleticism I envy sometimes. I stood at the bottom, trying to memorize his footing. He grinned at me from the top.
“There’s a pool of water up here,” he called down to me.
“Really? Water out here?” My interest was piqued. Clumsily, I climbed the narrow footholds and ascended the staircase. Huffing a minute later, I stood at the top and studied the water.
“Huh. Kind of weird the way it gathered here, isn’t it?” The water rippled gently, reflecting the brown layers of the rocks around us. I added, “Wonder how deep it is?”
Without hesitation, Tyler retrieved a long stick, carefully climbed down to the water’s edge, and stuck the stick in. It was actually much deeper than either of us anticipated. Our careful scientific measurements determined that the water was the height of Tyler’s nose. It looked like a nice place to sit and have a soak if it weren’t February.
Just beyond the pool of water was Devil’s Hall. Again, there wasn’t anything particularly devilish about the landmark. I thought it was rather nice, actually. The narrow canyon walls provided a cool stretch of shade. Beyond the canyon, the shrubby expanse of the Chihuahuan Desert met the blue sky. It was a good place to rest, we decided, so we found a comfortable rock and pulled out the snacks. As I munched on my supremely healthy Cheez-Its, another pair of hikers approached. We exchanged smiles with them as hikers are prone to do. We’ve found that nearly everyone on the hiking trail is friendly, and this couple was no exception. After a few moments, the husband approached.
“Hey, did you guys get to see the freezing fog in the park yesterday?”
Having been at Carlsbad Caverns yesterday, we hadn’t seen the strange meteorological phenomenon. I was a little disappointed about it. Freezing fog sounded interesting! Luckily, the friendly hiker had pictures to share. The scenery he had captured was astounding. Yellow cactus blooms in his photos were iced with a thick frost. Trees glittered with white layers of crystal. It was a remarkable set of photos.
After some recent research, I’ve learned that freezing fog is a common winter occurrence at Guadalupe Mountains. Like normal fog, it forms when the humidity of the air is nearly 100%. When the temperatures dip below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the fog freezes. Frozen fog coats every surface with a layer of ice that could have been yanked from a Brothers Grimm story. It never ceases to amaze me what the world can hold! Yet the true miracle of the Guadalupe Mountains fog wasn’t its visual awe but rather the friendship it inspired. The photos of the fog created a natural segue into conversation about hiking, national parks, and shared experiences. Before we knew it, we found ourselves finishing our hike with the friendly couple, chatting up a storm.
I believe that everyone is brought together for a reason. Mark and Noël are a great example of this. A retired couple from Arizona, they spend their time traveling and hiking together, much as Tyler and I do. The four of us have visited many of the same parks, so much of our conversation was “Have you been here? Have you done this trail? What did you think about this place?” When they asked us our plans for the rest of our trip, we mentioned that we would be staying in Van Horn, TX in a few days.
This made them both perk up. “Van Horn? Are you staying at the Rock Shop Airbnb?”
”Uhhh yeah, we are! How did you know?”
“We’ve stayed there too! You’re going to love it there!”
They regaled us with stories about the eclectic Airbnb, which is apparently known for its unique decor and quirky host. We found ourselves benefitting from their experiences in a number of ways. Mark has a phenomenal memory of each park they have ever visited, right down to the location of different hiking trails. When they found out we were planning a future trip to Canyonlands National Park, Mark was quick to describe a beautiful hike to Corona Arch. It was a spot we’d never heard of. I found myself pulling out my phone again and again to take notes so I wouldn’t forget any details! Sometime after Guadalupe Mountains, we did make our way out to Canyonlands. We made time to hike Corona Arch and, sure enough, it was excellent. We were sure grateful for their recommendation!
I spent a lot of time reading people based off their energy. It’s not some hippie “aura” that I can sense, but rather just the nonverbal tones detectable to an empath like me. One of the things that immediately drew me to Mark and Noël was how comfortable they were. You could tell they were content with life, happy with each other, and thankful for every day. Their marriage was something I especially admired. It reminded me of an oak tree: firmly rooted, unshakable, and thriving. They occasionally would finish each other’s sentences. They instantly knew what the other was thinking. When one said something that wasn’t quite right, the other corrected them gently, lovingly, with a smile. I smiled too. Leaning in to Tyler, I whispered once, “I want our marriage to be just like theirs when we’re retired!”
With a relationship as young as ours, I’m always searching for strong marriages to emulate. They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but I’m not sure that flattery is the goal. I’d liken it more to survival. America’s divorce rate hovers somewhere around 50%. Of those that stay together, can all of them say that they are strong? There must be a reason that sitcoms portray marriages where spouses tolerate each other. Is it really a healthy marriage if you’re complaining about each other to your friends? I doubt it.
So what, then, does a strong marriage look like? Well, here’s what I’ve seen. A strong marriage looks like the devotion that my pastor and his wife share even after severe illnesses, the loss of several children, and the strain of ministry. It looks like an intimate awareness of your spouse’s flaws and loving them despite it. It looks like humility, honesty, and good communication. Love is still holding hands when you’re 70. Love is two grandparents snuggling up on the couch to watch TV together. Love is like an oak tree. When it is healthy and well-rooted, it casts a cooling shade onto all those near it. It is a blessing to others as well as yourselves.
We were blessed by Mark and Noël. We were blessed by their welcoming demeanor, their friendly conversation, and the example they gave us. We continue to be blessed with their friendship. We periodically stay in touch, send updates of fun experiences, and check in with each other. At the end of each text, Mark signs his name with a cactus emoji. This always makes me smile. It reminds me of the snow on the cacti at Guadalupe Mountains. It reminds me of freezing fog photos, of a fast friendship, and the continued blessing of knowing good people.
Kindred spirits. Now, perhaps for the first time, I truly understand what Anne of Green Gables meant.
Hiking trails:
Devil’s Hall trail
Pinery Trail
Smith Spring/Manzanita Spring Loop
The article about the devilish park names:
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